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The Little Guys Vs Big Guys

The early part of this week can be summed up in one tiny little word.

Lice.

Yuk.  I have a deep seated fear of bugs, crawlies, spiders - anything really getting into my hair.  I don't like going to the hairdressers because I really don't like people touching my hair.  It's weird, I know.  So lice have always been a big fear of mine.  I've never suffered from them myself, to which I owe a great debt to whomever it is that controls these things.

One of my daycare kids came home from school on Tuesday, scratching his head.  I duly inspected his hair, and found nothing.  The next morning he was scratching again, and I found the telltale sticky white specks.

Nits.

I phoned his Mum, who advised - "shave his hair off, now!".  So I got out my clippers, and shaved his hair down to a #1 and a slightly longer #2 on the top.  Carefully I stored the clippers and attachments in a ziploc, then we all went out for a little excursion to the chemist.

Who knew Lice were such a prevalent thing?  Certainly not me.  It turns out that they're big business, and there are 101 types of treatments attesting this fact.  So I had two little boys - one with a head of "little guys", the other as yet unaffected, with me, in the "Chemist Superstore" trying to find the best lice treatment around.

So I chose the ones that looked the most dangerous to lice, and we left.

Of course my head was itching now.  Not just itching, crawling.  However as my hair is quite long, I despaired of my treatment options.

Anyhoo, we got home, and the treatment began.

The initial treatment of choice was a spray on thing, that involved only a 10 minute wait time.  With wriggly, impatient children - the average wait time of 30mins just wasn't going to cut it.  So we sprayed on the "insecticide" and waited.  Then we rinsed, then we shampooed and combed.  Thankfully the shaved nature of his head made for super easy "little guy" eradication.

Whilst he was bathing in fresh water, I sprayed down the clippers and attachments, and left them to get clean.

Once Lice Boy got out of the bath it was my turn.  As I had three children in my care, I couldn't just hop in the shower, I had to wash my hair over the basin.

So Lice Boy had the honour of wetting my hair with the hand shower.  Then I shampooed.  Then we rinsed again.  Somewhere during the process my clothes, shoes, and surrounding bathroom area became saturated as well.

While the 'insecticide' processed, we dried the bathroom.  Then rinsed my hair.  No use trying to use the fine 'nit' comb on my mop.  Too much hair.

Then we all got into dry clothes, and settled down for a 'little guy' free afternoon.

posted by: blytheswideshut at May 28, 2006 15:31 | link | comments (2) |

long time between drinks

So it's been a long time since my last post.  I've been overcome by blog inertia. 

Lately I've been committed to living the 'budget' lifestyle.  (not spending money - except on bills and food - and only basic, essential food and household items...no extras!)  Despite the boredom inspired by such frugal living, in a short time I have managed to amass a considerable amount of money, proving (damn!) Scott's theory that I tend to spend money a little friviolously.  uh, guilty.

Despite "use what you have" month being over I've been making 'stuffs' to sell at a local craft co-operative store.  The store is run by a CWA type group of old ladies but they're open to any types of 'crafty' wares, and their criteria for accepting items (on consignment) for sale is that they be different to other items stocked within the shop.  This helps to reduce the number of knitted white baby booties, crochet 'granny square' rugs, crochet edge tea towels, and that sort of stuff, so I'm hoping my stuff will bring a 'young' element to the shop, and with that I might have a chance of my items selling.  This would be good, as I can then use my money to re-stock my stash.

I made an apron for Sharon last weekend.  Long ago I had promised to make her one, and I finally delivered.  She loves Hello Kitty - do you think?


It's reversable, the back being the opposite to the front.  Pink fabric, with plain pockets.  Easy.  After putting off the project for, well, nigh on a year, the whole thing took me an hour from go to wo.  Including cutting out and finishing off.  And I work slow.  Very slow.  Futzing around measuring twice, trimming and snipping, putzing around and all that.  So I was surprised that it was finished so quickly.

Lucky, since I started it only three hours before we all went out to lunch.  We always go out for Mother's Day lunch, Sharon, SmartiePants, Scott and me.  She treats us lunch and they give me gifts.  Because they say I'm smartiepants' "other mum".  Which is cute and touching and wonderful.

Muppy continues to get well.  As of Friday he is reliably walking about on his bad leg, and jumping on and off the couch as he used to.  He started jumping up over the back of the couch in his old way, and proceeded to climb all over Scott.  It's amazing to see.

posted by: blytheswideshut at May 22, 2006 00:43 | link | comments (1) |

Found - camera.

Not a moment too soon.  I've missed it dearly.  I have been idly pestering Scott about the location of the camera for the past two weeks, to no avail.  However I finally found it today - I actually got up off my arse to look, and found it where I suspected he put it during one of his cleaning jihads.

I am posting a pic of Muppy.  I tried to get one of his limpy leg - but he keeps running away from me because he thinks I'm going to grab him and perform physiotherapy on his leg.  Which he hates.

The scars and patches will remain permanently hair-free.  Because his fur is so fine, and his skin so thin, once it's scarred up this bad no fur grows back.  So we will be permanently reminded of his 6th brush with death.


Like the cat in a dog suit he is, he's used up 6 of his 9 cat lives.

posted by: blytheswideshut at May 08, 2006 22:56 | link | comments (3) |

recap

Monday (today) public holiday - Tracy & Kevin visited.  Tracy continues to push for me to self-nominate for the Australian version of "Biggest Loser".  I'm in two minds about it.

Sunday - had a delicious afternoon nap.  Read, tinkered and tidied my study.  Lovely relaxing day.

Saturday - grocery shopping, on a budget!  woot, what fun.  We're not down to ramen 3 times a day, but we're definately budget central around here for the foreseeable future.  This whole muppy surgery thing has really knocked us around.  We are now officially the working poor.

I have been (selfishly) enjoying a very light work load for the past few months, but in the interest of fiscal responsibility and contributing as much as possible to the household coffers, I have decided to take on anther day care child.  Baby N hasn't yet gone full time, and I'm running out of time waiting for it to happen.  His Mum is having trouble finding a job, so as much as I want to be flexible and accommodating, frankly I NEED MONEY, now.

On Thursday I'll be having a chat with her to see what we can work out.  I can't remember the nickname I gave one of my other kids who left recently, but apparently he's coming back one day a week soon.  Him Mum finished work in anticipation of the delivery of her second baby, and phoned to advise that she's had enough of RedHead and could I take him at least one day a week?  At the moment, one day is all I can accommodate, so he's starting next week.  He is a particularly frustrating child, so I'm happy it's just one day, not three as it was previously.

There has been no movement with our Baby procurement.  We have been removed from the Intercountry Adoption list due to inaction (on our part), and have progressed no further with any sort of IVF or assisted conception business.  Being skint doesn't help, as the whole thing is quite a costly business.

I haven't heard from my Mother, and don't expect to.  I will send her a Mothers' Day card, and perhaps a short note to test the waters.

posted by: blytheswideshut at May 01, 2006 23:17 | link | comments (1) |

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